Lude Generation

Only a thought at the moment, but was thinking as LG is approaching 3 years of age, perhaps it's time to update the look and feel of LG site? Obviously it is time dependent and would have to fit around the 'day' job...

Generally people don't like change and all members can opt to keep the existing theme and perhaps only new members see the new theme.

Just gauging peoples thoughts, what you like, what you don't like, what could improved, what you have seen elsewhere that works well, design ideas, "are you insane, keep it the same" etc, etc.

Your thoughts are important, the LG site is for you.

Open discussion, flame suit is zipped up and ready to rock and roll!

just the way it is please
the only one thing i would change is having to open every unread post and then having to go to the last page before you can delete as read. so if it has been busy you have to open like 80 posts before you can get back to zero

Dbo wrote:just the way it is please
the only one thing i would change is having to open every unread post and then having to go to the last page before you can delete as read. so if it has been busy you have to open like 80 posts before you can get back to zero

goto the main forum page, http://www.ludegeneration.co.uk/index.php, click the 'Mark Forums Read' button in the top right.

I agree with Dbo when you start reading unread posts if you dont go right back to the last post/page you read it wont disapear from unread posts (and most of the time its just jobby phil has written)

but maybe we should have preludeuk somewhere in the title so people are pointed here when they search? i dont know if that would be causing problems with preludeuk

I think the layout is great, but I'm sure any changes would be for the better.
I wouldn't really want any major colour changes. Some websites hurt my eyes.

One suggestion; A bigger button to 'go to the top' would be nice, like the new eBay one.

If it's not broke, Don't fix it

mart609 wrote:If it's not broke, Don't fix it

I'm a big fan of that

Lg is good the way it is just my 2p

Leave it as it is

You said flame suit is on, but I'm trying to be constructive not an arsehole

The home page could do with a revamp! Everything else is excellent IMO. No need to change themes or anything major, just a bit of polishing!

For the most part I only ever go directly to unread posts to initially access the site (bookmarked). However, when I end up on the home page it's quite boring and could be made to look a lot more active than it is for new visitors? It remains unchanged from one month to the next and the only bit that is ever active day to day is users online and the forum topics bit.

So...

The LHD Prelude on the home page should go.

Move the announcements section to above the latest forum discussions bit, they're announcements and should be viewable at a glance.

Announcements only ever seems to have LOTM stuff, which makes itself obsolete when there is a whole LOTM bit on the first page. I would start adding official event topics and Wiki entries to the announcements too.

Maybe do away with the Wiki bit at the bottom of the home page and just stick new Wiki entries in with announcements? I don't know how often the Wiki is updated but I'm not sure it warrants it's own section on the bottom of the home page as well as a link on the main bar, the few additions per month could be in announcements.

Also do away with the LOTM dedicated section and incorporate it with the blurb about what LG is Replace that image of the LHD Prelude with a picture of the LOTM winner (different to the one in the banner maybe?). Obviously not taking anything away from the LOTM winner, just bringing it up the page a bit more (limelight ting) as on my 13" and 15" laptops you can't see it at all unless you scroll.

By putting more things into the announcements category and getting rid of stuff, adding variable things to the site intro, some relatively static sections will then become a more active single section. I don't know if it's scripted to only show 3 announcements at a time but maybe extend that?

IMO this will make the homepage more interesting because it should at least look different every now and then, and will also make it more efficient and look a lot cleaner for guests. At the moment all I see is this when I enter http://www.ludegeneration.co.uk:



All of the active stuff is underneath and requires scrolling. The only bit that ever changes in the initial view is the forum topics area and the banner once a month.

And just because this was easier than typing/explaining: http://i47.tinypic.com/35l5bhc.jpg
Sorry if it seems a bit prickish, just how I critique the wifey', peers' and my own work All meant without malice.